Improvement in seeding-machines



A. HATFIELD.

Corn-Planter.

Patented Nov. 2. 1858;

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Uwrreo Sra'rns PATENT warren.

A. HATFIELD, OF PETERSBURG, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEEDlNG ll/IACHlNES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 2I,95@, dated November 2, 1858.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AARON HATFIELD, of Petersburg, in Menard county, in the State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful machine, which I call The Illinois Farmers \Vheat-Drill, for drilling in wheat or grassseed between rows of standing corn or else where; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, exact, and accurate description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being bad to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, of which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine. Fig. 2 represents a top plan. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 represent detached portions of the machine, that will be hereinafter referred to.

Similar letters of reference, where they occur in the several figures, denote like parts of the machine in all of them.

The nature of my invention consists in the particular manner in which I have arranged the seeding devices and operate them for drilling in grain or sowing it broadcast, one or both at the same time, and whether between cornrows or otherwise. v

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, [will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings.

The seed-boxes O D E F are all arranged upon a frame or platform, A B, which rests on wheels G H H, the wheels H II of which (one only being seen in the perspective) are arranged one on each side of the machine and the wheel Gr in the front center-line of the machine. The axles of the wheels have their hearings in standards or brackets I L, I L, K K. The standards I L are provided with slots at and set-screws 6, so as to adjust the platform to any proper height above the ground. The standards K K of the front axle or wheel, G, pass through slots in the platform, and are hung to a lever, b, which has its fulcrum at a, and the other end of which may be raised or lowered and adjusted to any of the holes in It will be seen that by depressing the rear end of lever b the platform will be placed in an inclined position, raising its front end and elevating the lower ends of the seedtubes 9 f f, arranged underneath the seedbox'esil) E F, above the ground, when it is desired to turn the machine around. The axle M M, upon which the wheels H H are placed, has a crank, N, near its center, which, by means of a connecting-rod, O, vibrates the cross-piece P upon its pivots mm. ,By this means the rod Q, (pivoted to P) and the bar It are operated. The bar E series to vibrate the seed-stirrers S U W, linked thereto, and pivoted at T V X, and also the arm Y, which actuates the notched bar Z in the seed-box (J. 7

Ifit is desirable to stop the motion of the seed-stirrers and bar Z, the knuckle-joint h'i may be contracted, as represented in Fig. 1, so as to cause a stud or pin thereon at its lower end to enter one of the holes is in the rim of one of the wheels H, thereby stopping the motion of the wheels H H and crank-axle M M. The knuckle-joint may be retained in this position by inserting the upper end of it below one of the teeth of the rack l. i the machine is to be moved while the seeding devices are thus stopped from acting, the rear of the machine can be raised up so as to throw the weight on the wheel G, which is not a drivingwheel.

The seed-box O has two partitions, a a, provided with holes, through which the bar Z may vibrate. The notches out in the under side of bar Z will alternately cover and open the holes in the bottom plate q through which the seed passes out. A bent plate, 19, serves to cover that portion of the bar Z which lies between the two partitions.

The bottom plate Z of the seed-box E has a square hole through it, and an additional bottom plate 1, which is provided with two small and two large holes for the passage of different kinds of seeds from the hopper into the seedtube f. Either of the sets of holes may be closed up by bringingthe slide 8 under them. This may be done by removing the wedge 10, withdrawing the stirrup o, and turning the not a so as to move the screw t and the slide 8, attached to the screw. As soon as the slide has been properly adjusted it may be permanently fixed in its position by replacing the stirrup and wedge, which will prevent the nut to from working loose.

The two seed-boxes F and D are similarly constructed, only that they have no plate corresponding to the additional bottom plate 1" in the seed-box E, and have each a notched plate, or, instead of the slide 8, which plates :20, however, can be adjusted similarly by means of stirrups, nuts, and screws 3 so as to cover up the holesj of the seed-tubes gf to a greater or less extent, and thereby to allow passage to corresponding quantities of seed or grain. The seed-hoppers D E F are arranged for drilling in the seed 'or grain, while that O at the rear of the machine is arranged for sowing broadcast, and they may be differently disposed of on the frame of the machine, if found desirable.

There are cutters 2 2, &c., placed in adtance of each seeding-tube to open a slight furrow, and the wheels are arranged immediately be hind the seed-tubes, so as to roll over and v cover the planted seed.

For covering the seed that is sewn broad- 

